Here’s something a little different

In computer parlance, typecasting is the conversion of an expression of a given type into another type. In the world of typewriters, however, typecasting refers to the creation of the impressions of type from the type bars onto the paper, making an imprint through an inked ribbon. But there is another kind of typecasting, which involves a typewriter, scraps of paper, a digital scanner, a computer, internet connection, and a blog.

Typecasting, in the world of typewriter collectors who blog, is a different way of publishing blog posts. Instead of typing words directly onto the “compose” field, they type the words onto paper using a typewriter, scan the paper to turn it into a digital image, and upload it into their blog as a regular image. It’s fun and cute, in an analog kind of way. It can even be said to be some form of defiance of technology, where the defiance of technology is spread through technology. (It’s a little twisted that way.)

Something even more analog are papercasts, in which the blog post is written by hand on paper, and the paper scanned and uploaded into the blog page. I have my own papercast right here. These techniques using paper as primary media are supposed to be more spontaneous, fresh, natural, and open, because the whole thing is uploaded with all the handwriting slips, typographical errors, and corrections. I myself like it because it allows me to use paper, one of my favorite things in life.

A colorcast is mostly the same thing, except that instead of making the type imprints through the inked ribbon of a typewriter, a crayon is used. In colorcasts the crayon is rubbed onto a piece of paper, then that piece of paper is placed face down on a blank piece of paper, and together they are fed into the typewriter, and the words are typed on the underside of the surface that was colored, producing a colored impression instead of the usual inked type. Hence:


What do you think?

I have grown up with Crayola crayons, have always had them throughout high school and college, and relied on them as a mother to help me out in entertaining and teaching my small son. Throughout the years I have seen colors come and go. (I miss tumbleweed.) Furthermore, I have been living alone in Metro Manila for over seven years, and I have always had a box of Crayola crayons with me, so I thought I might as well do something novel with it -- not so original, sadly, but something new for me. New expression from an old type to a new type -- temporarily shifting from new technology to old analog -- all joined together in a blog that's approaching its fifth year. Old things in new things, and new things from old things.

[Crayola crayon in use: purple mountain's majesty]